Police detain 40 Polish fans ahead of Germany game

DORTMUND, Germany, June 14 (Reuters) Police in Dortmund said today they had detained around 40 Polish fans ahead of their team's World Cup Group A match against Germany to avoid outbreaks of violence.

Some of the detained were ''problem fans'' known to police who were seen as potentially violent while others were carrying ''dangerous objects'', a police spokesman said.

He added that some of the supporters had been arrested on a parking lot close to the stadium.

Thousands of Germany and Poland supporters have descended on the western German city to watch their teams in the match which kicks off at 0030 hrs ist.

While most of the fans treated each other in a friendly manner, some German supporters greeted their neighbours with the Hitler salute -- a criminal offence in the host country.

The relationship between the two countries, especially between their soccer supporters, has been tense and marred by history as Poland suffered greatly under German occupation during World War Two.

Reuters PDS GC2103